Better With Two
by LilCosette
Summary: Sometimes you just have to have a break from the bug eyed monsters. For eeveekitty85's Better With Two Challenge


Blinking the soft layer of sleep from her eyes, Ace wandered out of her bedroom and into the tearoom. The Doctor was already there, something that did not come as all that much of a shock to her considering that she'd never actually seen him head of to sleep, or even tire. He seemed to be fully focused on his hands, his back arched and his head hanging over the table as he examined the body part.

"Morning," she called out, voice thick with drowsiness.

There was a pause before he looked up, blinked, and finally smiled. "Good morning sleepyhead."

Still feeling fatigued, Ace waved and padded over to a bench situated at the side of the room and picked up a pot.

"Did you put this on, Professor?" She asked, slightly confused. Giving her an equally quizzical look, he shook his head. She frowned. "It's warm."

Tossing this strange event aside - after all, she was in a big blue box that travelled through space and time, stranger things had happened - Ace's finger hovered over the on-switch to boil the kettle again. "Want some, Professor?"

He'd gone back to staring at the table, lost in thought. "Hmm?"

She bit her lip to stop from smiling. "Tea. D'you want some?"

"Oh. Yes please, Ace."

She fussed at the table, pulling out a teapot and placing a spoonful of tea leaves inside. As she retrieved two teacups from a cupboard, the kettle announced the completion of it's task with a sharp click, promptly turning off. She picked it up and started to pour the boiling water into the pot.

Gripping both saucers, teacups and a strainer, she placed one set in front of the Doctor and one by her empty seat before she retrieved the pot, milk and sugar.

"Something interesting, Professor?"

Startled again, he looked up.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Off with the fairies." He leant forward and grasped the milk jug, pouring some into his cup. "Where did you want to go today?"

Ace slid sugar into her cup. "Somewhere without Daleks, bug eyed monsters from the planet Restlir or killer slugs from Kryzlxdo." She smiled and added, rather pointedly, "Can we go somewhere relaxing? I think we both need a break."

He took a sip of tea and looked up again. He considered her for a second before nodding. "Mmm. I think you're right."

Not all that long after, Ace stepped out of the big blue box and surveyed their landing area. The surface seemed absolutely deserted. Green grass spread across a hill that they were perched on – rather conspicuously – and down into the valley, a picture of healthy environment stretching as far as she could see. Two suns in close proximity hung in the blue sky above, and Ace grinned.

"That's more like it, Professor!"

"Mmm," he answered, offering her his arm. His eyes lit up as he smiled at her. "Let's explore."

Heading down the valley, Ace noticed a little alcove that she hadn't spotted before. A light blue lake reflected the sky, still water undisturbed by anything. As they made their way down the hill, she tugged her companion toward the banks and sat down.

"Is it water?"

He grinned. "Let's find out!"

Half expecting him to reach in and drink for himself, Ace was slightly disappointed when he thrust his umbrella in instead and pulled it out for inspection. "Seems like it." He winked at her.

"You knew that just by dipping your umbrella in?" Her voice was incredulous and he grinned.

"No Ace, I've been here before."

She rolled her eyes playfully at him and pulled off her socks and shoes to dangle her feet in the water.

She looked across the surface. "It's so weird, being so far from home, on a planet that could be Earth if it had two suns."

"Shh, Ace. Watch."

She looked at him curiously then followed his gaze upwards. Above them, the suns were melding together, their light blending together to make a giant burning fireball of gas.

Surprisingly, the brightness didn't burn her eyes, but she didn't want to ruin the moment by asking why.

The orbs lingered together for a moment as the human and the Time Lord watched from so far below, before slipping apart across the sky, darkening the world a little bit more as they moved. The skies lit and darkened in ways so different to what she'd seen on Earth. Watching the suns dance further away from each other, Ace felt herself physically relax.

"D'you know what, Professor?" Ace asked rhetorically, her arm pressed against his. "It's so much better with two."


End file.
